Since Christmas Eve and Christmas Day fall on Tuesday and Wednesday this year, which are not public holidays, churches across the country schedule their celebrations throughout December.
China's Three-Self churches usually begin preparations for Christmas three to four months in advance, covering activities such as event approvals, venue safety checks, program rehearsals, costume and prop purchases, and church decorations.
December is often referred to as "Christmas Month" by Chinese Christians, coinciding with the start of Advent on December 1 this year. Many large city churches host Christmas tree lighting ceremonies on the evening of this day, such as Chongwenmen Church in Beijing and Wuxi International Church in Jiangsu.
Large city churches generally schedule their major celebrations during the weekends before Christmas, which are December 21, and 22, and the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services on the 24th and 25th. Some regional joint celebrations are held earlier, for example, 21 Christian gathering sites in Fengtai District, Beijing, held a Christmas joint praise service on December 10.
Village and town churches, due to regional coordination or pastoral time allocation, often hold their celebrations one to two weeks in advance.
Some rural congregations travel to urban churches on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to celebrate with city believers, thus holding their local celebrations ahead of time. Or depending on the availability of pastors, churches may stagger their celebration times, allowing pastors to participate in multiple events and ensure that spiritual needs are met across congregations.
Besides, churches within a region may organize joint celebrations, with each church rotating to perform its programs in December. This not only strengthens the connection within the regional churches but also provides an opportunity to showcase Christianity to rural believers and seekers through the support and professional performances of city churches.
City churches, with more resources and manpower, offer a wider variety of celebrations and often focus on attracting young people.
Wuxi International Church’s Christmas activities cover almost the entire December. After the lighting ceremony on December 1, the church launched a "stamp collection" event from December 8 to 25, where visitors could collect stamps at specific locations and receive Christmas gifts at the church. On December 15, a Christmas market was held, with a charity sale supporting public welfare. The church also prepares orchestral performances, choral worship, and Christmas parties on December 22, 24, and 25.
Yuyao Christian City Church in Zhejiang plans a special event for young people (ages 18-35) on the evening of December 25. The church invites participants to share event posters in their WeChat Moments and, with at least 18 likes, they could receive tickets for the event. The evening includes a Christmas carnival, games, concerts, performances, and gospel sharing, blending faith and fun.
In recent years, CCC&TSPM has published a Worship and Devotional Manual each year, which includes guidance on liturgical seasons, daily scripture readings, and prayer points, helping churches and believers understand the spiritual significance of church seasons. Many Three-Self churches also use a three-year lectionary for year-round spiritual care. These efforts have encouraged churches to place greater emphasis on liturgical celebrations, preparing spiritually for Christmas during the entire Advent season.
The main focuses of the Christmas celebrations are scripture study on the significance of Jesus’ birth, evangelism through events and testimonies, and fellowship through various performances.
In the Western regions, two churches organize three-day events near Christmas. One focuses on scripture study during the day, with performances in the evening, while the other balances preaching and performances more evenly, with preaching in the morning and programs in the afternoon.
Christmas programs typically include songs, dances, nativity plays, skits, and testimonies. In developed cities, some churches present more professional performances, with realistic stage designs and props, and even orchestral performances. Some churches delve into the local church history and present it through dramatic performances, such as the Christmas plays "The Story of William Edward Soothill’s Mission to Wenzhou" and "Matteo Ricci’s Mission to China" by Wenzhou Liushi Church.
Beyond the time, celebration style, and program content, the Christmas gift packages from churches are also filled with local flavors.
One church offers peanuts and sunflower seeds, traditional snacks for entertaining guests in northern China during the New Year. Some churches include not only snacks but also calendars and scripture from the calendar in the gift bag. A church distributes apples wrapped in yarn. Churches hosting multiple events provide meals for their congregants, such as a suburban church in Changzhou, which served Christmas noodles with large soup dumplings, meatballs, and several dishes of stir-fried vegetables.
